Bisacodyl - Laxative

The article was written by Pharmacist Cao Thanh Tu - Faculty of Pharmacy - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Bisacodyl laxatives stimulate the muscles in the intestines, increasing intestinal contractions to move stool toward the anus. In addition, the drug also inhibits water reabsorption in the intestine, increasing water accumulation in the intestinal lumen.

The effect of Bisacodyl is to stimulate defecation, reduce defecation time and soften stools. The drug usually has a laxative effect within 6-12 hours after taking it. When taking the drug by the anal route, the effect appears faster, after about 15-60 minutes. It is also used to clean the intestines before a colon X-ray or surgery.

Treatment of constipation:
Adults and children over 10 years old: 5 - 10 mg/time/day Children 4 - 10 years old: 5mg/time/day, if chronic and prolonged constipation is treated, doctor's instructions Colon X-ray preparation or surgery: as directed by your doctor, a combination of oral and rectal medications is often used to completely empty the bowels.
Adults and children over 10 years: take 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening before the procedure and 1 tablet of 10 mg rectally in the morning the next day, before imaging or surgery.

Bisacodyl laxatives are formulated in many different dosage forms. 5mg enteric coated tablet form, so that the drug is released mainly in the colon and acts locally in the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract.
The drug is also prepared in the form of a suspension for enemas with a concentration of 10 mg/30 ml or as an anal tablet with a concentration of 10 mg.

For enteric coated tablets, the tablets must be swallowed whole, not chewed or crushed. Do not take within 1 hour of taking antacids, milk or dairy products because it reduces the antacidity of the intestinal coating, the drug may dissolve prematurely in the stomach, which can lead to indigestion and gastric irritation. Tablets should be taken at night before going to bed, preferably 30 minutes after meals.
Anal tablets should be stored in the refrigerator so that the tablet is hard enough and easily inserted into the anus. The drug should only be used for a short time. Do not take the medicine for more than 5 days without finding out the cause of the constipation. Long-term use of the drug can lead to water, electrolyte imbalance and hypokalemia, harmful to people with kidney failure, the elderly, need to be careful when using this drug.
A well-balanced, high-fiber diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercising regularly can help maintain the normal function of the digestive tract.

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Unwanted side effects when taking bisacodyl short-term are usually mild and self-limited. The most common undesirable effects are abdominal pain, diarrhea. If diarrhea occurs, the drug should be stopped.
Because Bisacodyl acts mainly in the lower gastrointestinal tract and does not affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, laxatives do not help with weight loss.